"The stake money..." The challenge's voice immediately dropped. Fifty dollars, one hundred dollars, these were not small sums for children from ordinary families. Having already lost fifty, he had hoped to save some money to purchase auxiliary items for his training, seeking another breakthrough in his martial arts.
The others also fell silent. Some were merely spectators, unwilling to engage in a gamble with an unknown outcome. Others might have wished to participate, but they had already lost their money.
"No stake money?" Qin Fen’s two sword-like eyebrows slowly converged toward his brow. He looked at his opponent with a degree of disappointment. Better to conserve his strength; he could earn a little more by working tomorrow.
The brief silence was broken by Ru Zhen Qin Lin, whose face was dark, stating, "I'll put up one hundred dollars. I bet you lose!"
Another hundred dollars! Qin Fen looked at Ru Zhen Qin Lin with slight envy. It was good to be the child of a wealthy family. In this short evening, this one person had already thrown in two hundred and fifty dollars! That was nearly half a month of his living expenses.
"One hundred dollars..." Qin Fen chuckled softly.
'Fighting is a highly addictive thing.'
Qin Fen couldn't recall who had said that, but he was beginning to agree with the statement. The previous fight had ended too quickly; he hadn't been able to fully savor the thrill of combat. Since there was money to be earned and a fight to be had, there was no reason to refuse.
Qin Fen sized up the challenger and noticed the opponent hadn't chosen to keep his information private. He immediately pulled it up to review: ID Zhao Shanhe, proficient in the ancient martial art Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao (Thirteen Protectors of Hard Conditioning), skilled in the Pi Shi Po Yu Quan (Stone-Splitting Jade-Breaking Fist). Record: 361 wins, 92 losses, 7 draws. Current Strength: Two Stars.
A purchased ancient martial art cultivation method? Qin Fen’s eyebrows twitched. Not all ancient martial arts were free. Many methods deciphered from Atlantis, due to their immense power, could only be learned by paying.
Qin Fen closed the data profile, having formed a general understanding of his opponent: a fighter with rich practical experience.
ID Thirty-Six Hours. Cultivating the ancient martial art Long Xiang Ban Ruo Gong (Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill). Skilled in the Shaolin Luo Han Quan (Shaolin Arhat Fist). Record: 1 win, 0 losses. Strength: Two Stars.
Looking at Qin Fen's profile, Zhao Shanhe felt a mixture of frustration and amusement. A mere hard-core internal art combined with a fitness routine punch technique had managed to defeat the New Martial Art user, Ru Zhen Qin Lin, and with an instant knockout at that. This truly didn't make sense.
Composing himself, Zhao Shanhe stared intently at Qin Fen. Since he had already issued the challenge, he did not wish to lose in front of hundreds of acquaintances. That would be even more humiliating than for Ru Zhen Qin Lin.
The ten-second countdown to the start of the fight slowly began. Zhao Shanhe looked into Qin Fen's calm eyes and suddenly felt an indescribable shock in his chest. He had seen this look before—it was the same look his martial arts instructor had when sparring with him in real life!
Confidence! Calmness!
"Hah!"
The countdown had not yet ended, but Zhao Shanhe hesitated slightly before roaring, making a swift decision. He quickly swallowed a Kuang Bao Dan (Frenzy Pill) that increased attack power by ten percent, along with an Tie Jia Wan (Iron Armor Pellet) that temporarily increased defense by ten percent!
With both pills in his stomach, Zhao Shanhe's body began to change subtly. His already sharply defined muscles, honed by Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao, went through a slight ripple and, externally, appeared like polished bedrock. Even without engaging, one could sense the terrifying explosive power contained within his musculature.
Several spectators blinked in surprise. Wasn't that being overly cautious? Eating the Kuang Bao Dan and Tie Jia Wan together? This wasn't even a selection match for the Sky Martial Arts Network organization; there was no need to push himself this hard!
Qin Fen’s pupils instantly shrank to pinpricks. His heart, normally capable of remaining calm in almost any situation, shattered in that instant.
Too extravagant! Even though virtual items were relatively cheaper, this was still too extravagant! Even more so than Ru Zhen Qin Lin!
Qin Fen was momentarily distressed by the sheer cost. Zhao Shanhe keenly detected that his opponent's focus was not entirely concentrated. His strong thighs exerted a fierce counter-force, causing the virtual stone slab beneath his feet to instantly crack. He shot forward like an arrow.
Zhao Shanhe rushed in, unleashing the most fierce and explosive move from the Pi Shi Po Yu Quan: Shi Po Tian Jing (Stone-Splitting Heaven-Shocking Strike), the air cracking loudly like a car tire blowing out.
Qin Fen’s eyes lit up. Such a ferocious, powerful punch was the limit for a Two-Star warrior. Virtually every escape route was sealed off!
"Luo Han Shui Long Zhe Shen Pi Xin Dou Jian Shuang Zhuang Quan!" (Arhat Sleeping Dragon Concealing Body Heart-Striking Shoulder-Shaking Double Impact Fist!)
A line of verse from the Shaolin Luo Han Quan flashed through Qin Fen’s mind. His body followed suit, leaning backward as if an Arhat were sleeping. His ankle rotated sharply, twisting his waist, and his body slightly compressed into Long Zhe Shen (Dragon Concealing Body)!
The Shi Po Tian Jing, which had sealed off all evasion paths, was actually forced by Qin Fen to reveal a sliver of an escape route!
As he evaded with Long Zhe Shen, Qin Fen shook both arms, unleashing a double punch—the Zhuan Shen Shuang Kao Shan (Turning Body Double Supporting Mountain) from the Shaolin Luo Han Quan! It charged straight toward Zhao Shanhe’s chest and lower abdomen!
"Roar!" Zhao Shanhe's chest sank and then swelled; his muscles tensed completely, like a slab of rock. He unleashed a thunderous tiger roar again! He crouched his knees slightly, retracted his fists! Lifted his knees! Swung his leg! The hard techniques of Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao were pushed to their absolute limit, intending to trade blows with Qin Fen.
He won! Ru Zhen Qin Lin’s eyes suddenly brightened. The expression of joy on his face lasted less than a tenth of a second before it turned to astonishment.
How was this possible? Everyone was stunned. In the blink of an eye, Qin Fen had fully reclined on the ground employing Luo Han Shui (Arhat Sleeping), dodging Zhao Shanhe's Heng Sao Qian Jun (Sweeping Army Strike). Simultaneously, he pushed off the ground with both palms, went into a full handstand, and kicked Zhao Shanhe’s jaw. His shoulder joints snapped, his elbow shot up, and Qin Fen flew backward inverted!
Zhao Shanhe’s body was already lifted into the air. Qin Fen's second kick, springing up from the ground, viciously struck Zhao Shanhe's ear!
The ear controls a person's balance. While Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao could train the body's musculature to the point where the ears were unusually strong, against the power of Long Xiang Ban Ruo Gong, they were no different from ordinary person's ears. At least, the second stage of Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao could not render the ears as hard as steel!
Once balance was broken, the power of Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao immediately weakened. Qin Fen had already sprung high into the air, resembling a hawk soaring into the clouds. He stamped one foot on Zhao Shanhe's chest, followed by a fourth ferocious stomp on Zhao Shanhe's Adam's apple—this was the Ta Bu Deng Shan (Stepping Up the Mountain) move from the Shaolin Luo Han Quan!
A crisp sound of bone breaking echoed. The protection of Heng Lian Shi San Tai Bao was broken. Zhao Shanhe’s body could no longer remain as hard as stone and naturally could not withstand this powerful strike. His vision suddenly went black, and he was ejected from the combat network system.
"Zhao Shanhe deceased. Duel concluded." The synthesized, beautiful announcement voice once again reached everyone’s ears.